The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

eatbreakfast · Jan 30, 2017

saltyhog said:
Quick question. I've noticed my C. laboutei has been eating algae off of the rocks much like a tang does. Now my Flame wrasse is pecking at the rock although I think he's just seeing the Labout's and trying to get the food he thinks it's eating.

I've had my fairy wrasses and even Halichoeres wrasses eat nori but I've never had them pick at rock like this. Anyone else had this happen? Any cause for concern? Both of the fairy wrasse in question are very fat, colorful and appear healthy in every way.

This is normal, just looking for food.

bonomo53 · Jan 30, 2017

So my LFS is getting in a Paracheilinus hemitaeniatus. The only information i can find on these is a reef builders article. I was wondering if anyone has kept one of these before even though it will be most likely be out of my price range.

evolved · Jan 30, 2017

Jena Cooper said:
Ok ok ok - I am fairly new to all of this. 120 gallon DT with 38 g. sump. Just got done running fallow for 76 days from ich, in which I lost 10 fish. Saved Sailfin and Foxface, added 2 clowns. QT set up now, and ready for new fish! Planning stock now.
I have said from the beginning that I didn't like the look of wrasses . . . but in my research over the past couple of days, I have had my eyes opened to the carpenter and a couple of others that I think are pretty beautiful. AND I know I can host quite a few in my tank, and am loving the variety in color, etc. and I could have a few in my size tank.

SOOOO - you wrasse lovers - good ones to start with? Flasher? Any issues you see with the stock I already have and mixing wrasses?
I would really like to add a flame hawk, green mandarin, and a couple of sand sifting goby's and possibly . . . not sure on the bangai cardinals . . . sooooo. . . any suggestions from wrasse world would be welcome as I am slowly being converted

I appreciate the enthusiasm and you've already been given some sound advice.
However, we should first discuss if/how your tank is covered. It must be 100% covered with no gaps (opportunities for escape). If it isn't, you will need to address that first before adding wrasses.

jp_75 said:
Which wrasse would you guys add to 60 gal?Already have 2 clowns,some fairy and longnose hawkish.
Earmuff Wrasse,Exquisite Fairy Wrasse,Melanurus Wrasse? I think i like Exqusite the most...Maybe some Flasher like Carpenters?
Quarantine first of course! THX

Agree with TJ's comments, and I'll add that it would be helpful to know what species the "some fairy" is?

bonomo53 said:
So my LFS is getting in a Paracheilinus hemitaeniatus. The only information i can find on these is a reef builders article. I was wondering if anyone has kept one of these before even though it will be most likely be out of my price range.

The handful to date that have made their way to the states have either been DOA or haven't lived long enough to be sold at retail.
Expect 4 figures in the price tag.

jp_75 · Jan 30, 2017

not sure which photo will work. it's very hard to take a picture of it!

evolved said:
I appreciate the enthusiasm and you've already been given some sound advice.
However, we should first discuss if/how your tank is covered. It must be 100% covered with no gaps (opportunities for escape). If it isn't, you will need to address that first before adding wrasses.

Agree with TJ's comments, and I'll add that it would be helpful to know what species the "some fairy" is?

The handful to date that have made their way to the states have either been DOA or haven't lived long enough to be sold at retail.
Expect 4 figures in the price tag.

tkiry1 · Jan 30, 2017

Who knew anything about an African goldbar wrasse (super make).. I have a fish only aquarium but can't find a lot info on them...

tkiry1 · Jan 30, 2017

Who knows

evolved · Jan 30, 2017

jp_75 said:
not sure which photo will work. it's very hard to take a picture of it!

A female of the rubeus complex, which means that it will have a bit of an aggressive streak. Adding an exquisite could be risky.

tkiry1 said:
Who knew anything about an African goldbar wrasse (super make).. I have a fish only aquarium but can't find a lot info on them...

Can be a bit rough-and-tumble, but in a semi-aggressive FO system, they should fit right in. Reaches 9" however, so the tank should also be pretty large.

jp_75 · Jan 30, 2017

Would you add any wrasse at all? Would adding Flasher do any different? Thx so much!!!!

Mini Coop · Jan 30, 2017

Ok - Wrasse Lovers - my friend has told me to do more research. I am going to get a harem of wrasses - one male, 2 female for my 120. I am deciding between the Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse and the McCosker's. I have looked up a lot of opinions, but would like to know from my R2R buddies your opinions. My guy will be ordering tomorrow, so I need to make a decision.

Thanks!

cvportagee · Jan 30, 2017

@Jena Cooper I would avoid adding a harem. In my experience they all will eventually attempt to turn male resulting in death or a need to rehome. You will be left with just a male in the end. I also have a 120 and have multiple male flashers and fairies. I believe @evolved posted about it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pairing-wrasses-thats-not-how-any-of-this-works.258310/

Mini Coop · Jan 30, 2017

cvportagee said:
@Jena Cooper I would avoid adding a harem. In my experience they all will eventually attempt to turn male resulting in death or a need to rehome. You will be left with just a male in the end. I also have a 120 and have multiple male flashers and fairies. I believe @evolved posted about it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pairing-wrasses-thats-not-how-any-of-this-works.258310/

@evolved - would you recommend getting one male carpenters, one male McCoskers and one other male species then, like an exqisite fairy? Sorry - I am still learning all of this and want to be wise in my decisions.

evolved · Jan 30, 2017

jp_75 said:
Would you add any wrasse at all? Would adding Flasher do any different? Thx so much!!!!

A flasher would carry the same risk. Of course, there's no risk if you don't add any.

Use an acclimation box if you do add another; you can easily test the waters before it's too late this way.

cvportagee said:
@Jena Cooper I would avoid adding a harem. In my experience they all will eventually attempt to turn male resulting in death or a need to rehome. You will be left with just a male in the end. I also have a 120 and have multiple male flashers and fairies. I believe @evolved posted about it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pairing-wrasses-thats-not-how-any-of-this-works.258310/

Absolutely.

Wrasse harems in aquaria by-and-far do not work out.
And as for flashers are concern, it is really hard to find females for sale, which are actually female. Many flashers sold as female simply are not.

Jena Cooper said:
@evolved - would you recommend getting one male carpenters, one male McCoskers and one other male species then, like an exqisite fairy? Sorry - I am still learning all of this and want to be wise in my decisions.

Yes, that would be far better off. Or a third different species of Paracheilinus over the exquisite, if they have more appeal for you.

jp_75 · Jan 30, 2017

Will she show any aggression towards other fish? (freshly added) Also,heard somewhere that female will turn into male when alone..?

evolved · Jan 30, 2017

jp_75 said:
Will she show any aggression towards other fish? (freshly added) Also,heard somewhere that female will turn into male when alone..?

Probably not, and yes.

Maritimer · Jan 30, 2017

Flashers aren't generally too terribly aggressive to other fish (with one noted exception...), but when adding new fish - especially if you've got other, similar fish already in the tank - a social acclimation box is almost always a good idea.

Flasher and fairy wrasses will generally turn male ... with or without others of their kind in the tank.

~Bruce

Mini Coop · Jan 30, 2017

cvportagee said:
@Jena Cooper I would avoid adding a harem. In my experience they all will eventually attempt to turn male resulting in death or a need to rehome. You will be left with just a male in the end. I also have a 120 and have multiple male flashers and fairies. I believe @evolved posted about it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/pairing-wrasses-thats-not-how-any-of-this-works.258310/

So, how did you add the multiples? One at a time? One male and female together?

Maritimer · Jan 30, 2017

I've got two flashers and three fairies, all either male or turning male.

Adding less aggressive fish early in your stocking helps - a lot. It's certainly possible to QT a few wrasses together, should you find several that you like at the same time, and they'll likely get along as nobody has an established territory, but then you've got to introduce them to your display . . .

If there aren't any resident wrasses in your display tank, you may be OK - though I've seen some oddness. My azure damselfish, for instance, who never bother _anyone_, took a great dislike to a social fairy wrasse. I think they more or less chased him out of the tank - he left through the eggcrate. (I've got BRS screen top kits for the upgrade...)

There are some tricks that can be used post-introduction to divert aggression, such as rearranging the rockwork or temporarily placing a mirror at one end of the tank to give the aggressor something else to chase, but the best is almost certainly the "social acclimation box". It can be anything that will contain a fish and allow ample flow from the tank around it. There are purpose-built boxes made of acrylic, but other reefers have used "Critter Keepers" available at the local pet-shop and even panels of eggcrate zip-tied together. The idea is to allow the two fish to get used to one another - or at least be able to figure out if that's not gonna happen - without any damage. They get a good look at one another through the walls of the box, the resident gets to show off how tough he is ... and nobody gets hurt. Usually within a couple of days, things settle down and the new guy can be released into the display tank.

~Bruce

Mini Coop · Jan 30, 2017

Maritimer said:
I've got two flashers and three fairies, all either male or turning male.

Adding less aggressive fish early in your stocking helps - a lot. It's certainly possible to QT a few wrasses together, should you find several that you like at the same time, and they'll likely get along as nobody has an established territory, but then you've got to introduce them to your display . . .

If there aren't any resident wrasses in your display tank, you may be OK - though I've seen some oddness. My azure damselfish, for instance, who never bother _anyone_, took a great dislike to a social fairy wrasse. I think they more or less chased him out of the tank - he left through the eggcrate. (I've got BRS screen top kits for the upgrade...)

There are some tricks that can be used post-introduction to divert aggression, such as rearranging the rockwork or temporarily placing a mirror at one end of the tank to give the aggressor something else to chase, but the best is almost certainly the "social acclimation box". It can be anything that will contain a fish and allow ample flow from the tank around it. There are purpose-built boxes made of acrylic, but other reefers have used "Critter Keepers" available at the local pet-shop and even panels of eggcrate zip-tied together. The idea is to allow the two fish to get used to one another - or at least be able to figure out if that's not gonna happen - without any damage. They get a good look at one another through the walls of the box, the resident gets to show off how tough he is ... and nobody gets hurt. Usually within a couple of days, things settle down and the new guy can be released into the display tank.

~Bruce

Ok - I have no wrasses at all. I just have 2 clowns, a sailfin and foxface. Looking at getting a flame hawk and couple wrasses to QT together.

Maritimer · Jan 30, 2017

Those guys are all different enough from wrasses that they shouldn't mind new neighbors too much - although clownfish _are_ damsels, when all is said and done. Some of them can be _grouchy_! (The good news is that wrasses are fast, and could probably evade the clowns. The bad news is that wrasses are fast, and might try to evade the clowns by jumping out of the tank . . . )

I've never kept hawks, but have heard good things about flames. There's an arc-eye hawk at the local Petco that has been making hamburger of every fish they put in his tank for months. Annoys me that they keep putting fish in his tank . . .

~Bruce